If an advanced airway is in place during pediatric CPR, how many breaths per minute are recommended, and how are they paced relative to compressions?

• A. Two breaths per minute
• B. Ten breaths per minute
• C. One breath every 6 seconds, asynchronous with compressions
• D. Breaths are not given with an advanced airway

Answer: (C)

When an advanced airway is in place during pediatric CPR, the goal is to keep chest compressions continuous while providing ventilation at a steady rate. The recommended approach is one breath every six seconds, which is ten breaths per minute, delivered asynchronously with the ongoing compressions. In other words, you ventilate at a regular 10/min rate while the chest compressions keep going without pauses. This setup preserves perfusion by avoiding interruptions to compressions and ensures the patient still receives ongoing ventilation. Breathing rates that are too low would compromise oxygen delivery, and not delivering breaths at all with an advanced airway isn’t appropriate—the correct method is continuous compressions with ventilations at a fixed, even rate.